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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25595893">A Time to Back Off</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphose/pseuds/sapphose'>sapphose</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Trek: Deep Space Nine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Episode: s06e01 A Time to Stand, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 05:42:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,139</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25595893</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sapphose/pseuds/sapphose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone is in close quarters on the Defiant, and tempers run hot. Julian thinks he's found the perfect solution for Garak's problem, and Garak thinks he's found the perfect revenge.<br/>Set midway through Season 6 Episode 1, "A Time to Stand."</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Julian Bashir &amp; Elim Garak, Julian Bashir/Elim Garak</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>144</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Julian folded his arms and tapped his foot. He had a professor who did that, back at Starfleet Medical, and the result made even the bravest cadets quail with fear.</p><p>“You’re lucky I’m seeing you, after what you said to me.”</p><p>Garak only smiled pleasantly. Evidently, Julian was not as intimidating as Dr. Solek.</p><p>“Careful, Doctor. You wouldn’t want the Captain hearing you refusing someone treatment.”</p><p>“I mean it, Garak.” Julian kept on his stern face. “You called me a Vulcan and a computer.”</p><p>In any other situation, he would have minded the comments more. But there was no denying the flash he had seen in Garak’s eyes after he announced their odds of survival.</p><p>Even Garak was afraid. Even Garak didn’t want to die.</p><p>Not, of course, that he would admit it.</p><p>“I could have meant it as a compliment,” Garak argued. “Both are currently serving in Starfleet with distinction.”</p><p>“If you mean Lieutenant Commander Data, the correct term is android.”</p><p>“My apologies.” Garak lowered his head contritely. Julian brushed away the little spurt of worry he sometimes felt around Garak, that he’d given away some piece of information without realizing it. After all, Garak must already have known about Data. Probably.</p><p>“So, what is it this time?” Julian asked, as if he couldn’t see the purple bruising.</p><p>Garak sighed theatrically.</p><p>“The same as the last, I’m afraid.”</p><p>Last time, they had been ambushed by a Jem’Hadar warship. Julian was surprised; Garak usually lied better than that.</p><p>“We haven’t been under fire again,” Julian said, and added, preempting the next attempt, “Chief O’Brien said he fixed the inertial dampeners.”</p><p>As usual, Garak gave nothing away.</p><p>“Someone should inform the bulkheads.”</p><p>Bulkheads didn’t usually leave multiple marks on different parts of the face. Julian hummed thoughtfully as he ran the dermal regenerator over Garak’s orbital ridge.</p><p>“There’s really nothing else going on?”</p><p>“One would almost think you don’t trust me, Doctor.”</p><p>Julian tilted Garak’s head away, moving his attention to the jaw.</p><p>“I don’t.”</p><p>“I’m glad to hear it.”</p><p>It didn’t take long to finish repairing the damage, but it would be best if Julian could figure out what had really caused it. He kept the regenerator running longer than was strictly necessary, grateful that no nurses were watching to make assumptions.</p><p>“You didn’t do this to yourself, did you?” he asked gently. It wasn’t unheard of. For the rush of endorphins, maybe, or just from being touch-starved. Julian was pretty sure that Garak was not getting many affectionate touches.</p><p>(A situation Julian would gladly remedy, if given the opportunity, but that was not the kind of thing to think about while treating a patient.)</p><p>“Oh, <em>very</em> good, Doctor,” Garak tutted. “You should be commended on your bedside manner. Do you also accuse patients of giving themselves the flu?”</p><p>If Garak was the patient, he might.</p><p>Julian set the dermal regenerator down, and tried a soft hand on Garak’s arm. The muscles stiffened beneath his fingers, but Garak didn’t pull away.</p><p>“You’ve hurt yourself in the past.” This was not something they had ever discussed explicitly or in detail, but Julian was smart enough to infer.</p><p>“I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about. Why would I do that?”</p><p>He hadn’t really expected Garak to admit it, so he didn’t have a right to be disappointed.</p><p>“To activate the implant,” Julian reminded him.</p><p>“Which no longer works, thanks to you.” Flinty eyes did not match up with the benign tone.</p><p>“Maybe you’re trying to get more triptacederine.” Julian was also smart enough to realize that addiction was complicated, and the road to recovery could easily include periods of relapse. Between the war, losing a home (even a temporary, unwelcome one), and watching Dukat of all people gain power… Garak was under immense stress, and it stood to reason that he might return to former unhealthy coping mechanisms.</p><p>Characteristically, he would also refuse to talk about it.</p><p>“If I say I am, will you stop asking tiresome questions?”</p><p>If anything, Julian would probably ask more.</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“Then no, I am not.” Garak’s smile twisted, and before Julian had time to worry about what that indicated, a light touch was creeping up his arm, stroking the fabric of his uniform. “Maybe I’m here just for the pleasure of your company.”</p><p>That was the kind of thing Julian longed to hear, which meant it was probably a lie. He pulled his hands back to clasp them behind his back, ignoring the goosebumps erupting on his skin.</p><p>“That would be a waste of infirmary resources.” If ever there was a time to emulate a Vulcan, this was it. Julian kept his voice even and professional. He was not going to be distracted from the matter at hand just because he was horny.</p><p>“Well, then I won’t waste any more.”</p><p>Julian couldn’t exactly be surprised when Garak stood. This was the longest he’d stayed in the infirmary while conscious, and he never enjoyed being asked about his health.</p><p>Still, the only thing that bothered Julian more than an unsolved problem was seeing someone in pain and not being able to help.</p><p>“You’re not going to tell me what’s going on, are you?”</p><p>“Really, it was nothing more than a simple accident,” Garak reassured him.</p><p>Definitely not the truth. If it were, Garak would deny it, most likely embarrassed by any perceived clumsiness.</p><p>“Did you know I can also calculate the probability that you’re lying to me? Right now I’d say it’s an 85.3% chance.”</p><p>Julian tried for a disarming smile, but Garak looked unimpressed.</p><p>“Now you’re just showing off. If you’ll excuse me, I should be returning to my duties. And, if you don’t mind a little friendly advice, I suggest you look in on Mister Sykes next.”</p><p>Perplexed, Julian watched Garak leave with a furrowed brow. What did a junior tactical officer have to do with anything?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Originally, I was going to write something angsty, but from here on in, fate intervened.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Julian tries to solve Garak's problem.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Julian wasn’t sure how to prepare himself for Garak’s entrance. Sitting and staring at the door felt too direct (<em>So, Mr. Bond, you must be wondering why I’ve called you into my lair…</em>). Pretending to sleep was cowardly, and it would be seen through in a second.</p><p>In the end, he settled for sitting on the bottom bunk and reading a medical journal, but he felt too nervous and jumpy to focus.</p><p>
  <em>The Bajoran DNA polymerase shows evidence of… </em>
</p><p>It was important not to get his hopes up too high. Ideally, Garak would be impressed by his cleverly figuring the situation out and taking decisive action, maybe to the point of being grateful enough to follow through on yesterday’s touch, but just as likely he would not want to talk about it, and that was fine too. Really.</p><p>
  <em>The Bajoran DNA polymerase shows evidence of…</em>
</p><p>This was useless. He must have reread the same sentence a dozen times, and still couldn’t remember how it ended.</p><p>It was almost a relief when Garak walked in. Smiling, which was good, probably? Garak smiling was usually good, right up until it wasn’t.</p><p>“Well, Doctor, this is a surprise,” he greeted Julian brightly. “Yesterday you kicked me out of the infirmary, and today I’m told that you’re my new bunkmate.”</p><p>“I didn’t kick you out.”</p><p>“Ah. My mistake.”</p><p>Julian waited, but no other remark seemed to be forthcoming. Instead, Garak made a show of inspecting the room, as if there was a chance it would be any different from the other sleeping quarters on the <em>Defiant</em>.</p><p>Fine. If that was the way they were going to play it, Julian could do that. He didn’t care. It made no difference.</p><p>Patience had never been one of his virtues.</p><p>“Isn’t there something you want to say?” he prompted.</p><p>Garak blinked innocently.</p><p>“Did you have a reaction in mind?”</p><p>Of course. Of course it was never going to be that easy. Julian should never have expected otherwise.</p><p>“How about, <em>I’m sorry I didn’t tell you my roommate tried to attack me</em>.”</p><p>Garak’s only reaction to the revelation was to scoff.</p><p>“I can handle a junior lieutenant.”</p><p>“I saw firsthand how you handle it.” Julian suspected he would have seen Sykes in the infirmary soon enough, even without Garak’s suggestion. “Obviously I wasn’t going to let the situation continue.”</p><p>Garak’s teeth were still showing, but Julian was no longer certain that it was a smile.</p><p>“I wasn’t aware you were in charge of crew quarters.”</p><p>“I’m not, but Captain Sisko was very understanding.”</p><p>No teeth at all, now, and that seemed worse.</p><p>“Really, Doctor, there was no need to drag him into this.”</p><p>“No need?” Julian repeated in disbelief. “An officer assaulted you for being Cardassian and you don’t think his superior officer should have been notified?”</p><p>“If I wanted the Captain to know, I would have told him.”</p><p>Infuriating. Absolutely, mind-boggling-ly infuriating. Julian scrambled to stand, to recapture his lost ground.</p><p>“This isn’t the station, Garak. It’s not the same as refusing to press charges on a Klingon or a Bajoran civilian. This is conduct unbecoming to an officer, and the commander of the ship needs to be informed.”</p><p>It was a logical, accurate, perfectly correct argument.</p><p>Garak looming (and how did he manage to loom, when he was the shorter one?) felt very wrong.</p><p>Julian gulped.</p><p>“I suppose it was also his idea to transfer me in here with you? Someone to watch me in case I try to keep my personal business private again?”</p><p>Ah. Julian should have known that Garak’s paranoia would rear its ugly head.</p><p>“Do you want to know what I think, Doctor?” Garak continued. “I think he couldn’t risk damaging Starfleet’s one Cardassian ally, and he didn’t trust any of his crew not to harbor the same resentment, so he put me with the only officer known to tolerate me.”</p><p>Julian held up his hands, placating.</p><p>“No one else on the ship would try to hurt you because of your species. Captain Sisko just thought it might be easier to room someone you already know.” Sisko had also asked him to keep an eye on Garak’s safety, but now was not the time to mention it.</p><p>“If you believe that, Doctor,” Garak hissed, “you are even more of a fool than I thought.”</p><p>Julian realized, too late, that he had massively miscalculated.</p><p>“I don’t understand why you’re so angry about this. We’re only trying to help.”</p><p>Julian hadn’t heard Garak’s voice so supercilious since he suggested that Preloc might have been inspired by pre-Reformation Vulcan.</p><p>“If you don’t mind, I’d like to freshen up. Do I need your supervision for that as well? Or just your permission?”</p><p>“You don’t need my permission for anything.”</p><p>Garak made no reply, but stalked off.</p><p>Well. That could not have gone much worse. Julian had made an enormous mistake, that much was clear. How dare he insinuate that Garak might actually need help. No, better to deal alone with a roommate who decided to drunkenly corner the neighborhood ‘spoonhead,’ and even landed a few significant punches before being scared off.</p><p>Julian gnashed his teeth. Infuriating.</p><p>If he were any less brave, he would rush off with his tail between his legs to do the safe thing and avoid Garak. Unfortunately, he was determined to see this through. He curled his legs up on the bed, rested the PADD on his knees, and tried to read, without success.</p><p>Garak emerged looking nearly… cheerful.</p><p>“You know, Doctor, I’ve changed my mind about this whole ordeal.”</p><p>Julian didn’t trust it.</p><p>“I’m glad to hear it,” he responded in a clipped tone.</p><p>“Once I thought about it, I realized how right you are. I really am in terrible danger aboard this vessel.”</p><p>Oh, there it was.</p><p>“That’s not what I said.”</p><p>Garak continued as if he hadn’t heard Julian’s interjection.</p><p>“There’s no doubt that I’ll need your help to make it through. Will you do me the honor of accompanying me to get some food?”</p><p>If Garak’s plan was to be sarcastic and overly solicitous, Julian was fairly certain he could handle it. It would be annoying, but not the end of the world. Their friendship would be disrupted, but at least he might be able to finish a sentence in the medical journal.</p><p>“You go on ahead. I’ll catch up.”</p><p>Garak clucked his tongue and pulled a disappointed face.</p><p>“Now, don’t be cruel. What if an ensign points a disrupter at me while I’m replicating rations? What if the humans don’t let me sit with them? What will I do without you as a bodyguard?”</p><p>It was Julian’s turn to scowl.</p><p>“You’re being ridiculous on purpose. You know as well as I do that you don’t need my protection.”</p><p>“Really, I insist.” Only Garak could make a request for protection sound vaguely threatening. “Obviously Captain Sisko thinks you’re the only one I can trust, and who am I to question it?”</p><p>“That was not what he was thinking.”</p><p>Garak ignored him again, turning to the door.</p><p>“Come along, now. You should leave first, check the corridor for potential assailants.”</p><p>Julian swung his legs over the edge of the bunk and stood. He was still frustrated, but he had learned long ago that sometimes it was better just to indulge Garak.</p><p>“This is absurd,” he complained, but walked to the entryway all the same.</p><p>Garak took Julian’s arm, stopping him before he could leave the room, and really, Julian’s anatomy was being positively traitorous in its response.</p><p>“On the other hand, if you walk in front of me, someone might attack me from behind,” Garak suggested, ignoring Julian’s eye roll. “Better to go together, don’t you think?”</p><p>With sparkling eyes, Garak looped his arm through Julian’s and pressed against his side.</p><p>The whole situation felt murderously unfair.</p><p>“Garak.”</p><p>“Yes, my dear?”</p><p>“How long do you intend to keep this up?” It couldn’t be very long, could it? Garak hated intimacy and invasive attention, and the current situation was designed to garner a good deal of both.</p><p>Garak squeezed Julian’s arm as they stepped into the hallway. His next words were whispered warm breath in Julian’s ear.</p><p>“Do hurry, Doctor. If we linger, that engineer might get an idea about what to do with his coil spanner.”</p><p>Julian could feel the eyes that followed them as they made their way to the mess hall. Surely, Garak would lose interest in this petty revenge soon… wouldn’t he?</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The idea for this ending and the next chapter came to me in the shower, and since I thought it was funny I realized I had to write it. Hence, our swift detour away from angst.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Garak's revenge may be petty, but you can't argue with success.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Julian tried to be a professional. He wasn’t always successful, he knew that, but he made an effort all the same. It wouldn’t do for his bad mood to affect the treatment he gave the rest of the crew.</p>
<p>Of course, that determination meant nothing when the rest of the crew was doing their best to drive him mad.</p>
<p>“How many people did you have to arm wrestle to do this to your wrist?” he demanded. Jadzia shrugged carelessly.</p>
<p>“It was a tournament, Julian. At least I won.”</p>
<p>“That wasn’t what I asked. We’re in the middle of a war, Jadzia.” Even if he was the only one who acted like it.</p>
<p>“It was good for crew morale,” she argued.</p>
<p>Julian threw up his hands in defeat.</p>
<p>“Has everyone on this ship lost their mind?”</p>
<p>Jadzia patted his arm sympathetically, but he could still hear the chuckle she tried to suppress.</p>
<p>“I take it bunking with Garak isn’t going well.”</p>
<p>That, Julian thought, was a colossal understatement.</p>
<p>“He won’t let me out of his sight. We eat every meal together. Next I think he’s going to have me checking under the bed for monsters. It isn’t funny, Jadzia.”</p>
<p>She had stopped trying to hide her laugh.</p>
<p>“I disagree. It’s very funny.”</p>
<p>“I don’t know how much more of this I can take.” It was all Julian could do to give thanks that he had never mentioned his real feelings about Garak to Jadzia, or she would be merciless on the subject.</p>
<p>As things stood now, she was entertained, but otherwise uninterested.</p>
<p>“So let him put in an official transfer request.”</p>
<p>“And then he’ll get injured again.” If not in such a crude fashion, then indirectly, maybe by an ensign who kept the room too cold and too bright for Cardassian anatomy, and Garak would never admit it if his migraines returned.</p>
<p>Jadzia looked doubtful.</p>
<p>“Not everyone on the <em>Defiant </em>is Lieutenant Sykes.”</p>
<p>“No, but Garak never asks for help.” Julian ticked off the incidents on his fingers. “He was ready to let the implant kill him, if I hadn’t intervened. He wouldn’t have even come to the infirmary when those Klingons beat him up if someone hadn’t found him bleeding outside his shop- the shop that he <em>blew up</em> to get Odo’s attention. I don’t understand him!”</p>
<p>Julian knew the look Jadzia was giving him. It was kind, but also <em>you’re-kind-of-an-idiot</em>.</p>
<p>“I do. It’s pretty simple, Julian. He doesn’t ask for help because he doesn’t want any. It’s almost Klingon, actually.”</p>
<p>Julian tried to imagine Garak speaking with Worf’s gruff voice: <em>Your actions were not honorable, Doctor.</em></p>
<p>“Are you saying Garak is acting this way for honor?”</p>
<p>“He might not call it that, but it amounts to the same thing. I know you like to solve problems, but Garak prefers to deal with things on his own.”</p>
<p>“Which always seems to put him in danger.”</p>
<p>“Maybe so, but he’s an adult. It’s his choice to make.”</p>
<p>Julian opened his mouth to make a comeback (he wasn’t sure what, exactly, but it was going to be something good), but blanched instead when he heard a familiar voice at the infirmary door.</p>
<p>“There you are, darling!”</p>
<p>Julian winced.</p>
<p>“Oh, speak of the devil.”</p>
<p>Jadzia wiggled her eyebrows. <em>Darling?</em> she mouthed.</p>
<p>He shook his head. <em>Don’t ask.</em></p>
<p>“Commander Dax, a pleasure as always,” Garak greeted graciously. “I was just coming by to see if dear Julian was ready to take me to lunch.”</p>
<p><em>Dear Julian</em> was already annoyed, but Jadzia’s gleeful expression made it all the more unbearable.</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t dream of getting in the way of you two lovebirds.”</p>
<p>Julian had learned to dread the mischievous smile that she wore as she departed the infirmary. He was never going to be able to live this down.</p>
<p>“‘Dear Julian?’” He rounded on Garak, exasperated. “Really?”</p>
<p>Garak beamed.</p>
<p>“You’re doing so much for me. It seems silly not to call you by your first name, now that we’re so close.”</p>
<p>Once, Julian had wished to hear his name and terms of endearments on Garak’s lips. Now, he wondered what he could do to get himself thrown in the brig and escape this.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>If you actually talk about what you want, it turns out everyone can win.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Here.”</p><p>Julian held the PADD squarely in front of Garak’s face, unmistakeable.</p><p>“What is this, dear?” Garak inquired politely.</p><p>“A white flag. I give up. Admit defeat. Concede. Surrender. Whatever you want to call it. It’s the official form to request a transfer of quarters. Ask for whatever you’d like. Try to bunk with Sykes in the brig for all I care. You win.”</p><p>He dropped the device into Garak’s lap and went off to have a good sulk. It had not been his intention to make his own life miserable and become a scandalous sensation for the rest of the ship, but that was apparently the price of trying to do a good deed for a friend.</p><p>“Here. It’s done.”</p><p>Julian didn’t bother turning his head. Instead, he spoke into the pillow, muffled.</p><p>“You can click submit at the bottom. You don’t need me to sign off or anything.”</p><p>“Don’t you want to see who I’ve requested?”</p><p>No, Julian really didn’t, but the sooner this mess could be resolved, the better. He propped himself up on an elbow, took the PADD, and glanced down- then back up at Garak with eyebrows raised to his hairline.</p><p>“Is this a joke?”</p><p>“Why would I joke about this?”</p><p>Garak wasn’t given to practical jokes, unless he had been talking with Jadzia. At this point, it didn’t make sense to rule anything out.</p><p>Julian looked down again. There it was, his own name, in the optional box for a requested roommate.</p><p>“You’ve spent the last week trying to get rid of me,” he reminded Garak sourly.</p><p>“I’ve been trying to prove a point, Doctor. Evidently I was too subtle for you.”</p><p>“You’ve been about as subtle as an Algorian mammoth. You don’t want to have to room with me. Fine.” <em>And you don’t feel the same way about me that I do about you. Also fine</em>.</p><p>Garak, inexplicably, looked amused.</p><p>“Tell me something. For years, you have enjoyed having lunch with me. This week, you couldn’t eat fast enough to get away from me. What’s changed?”</p><p>Was that a serious question?</p><p>“This week I didn’t have a choice,” Julian griped.</p><p>“Ah, and therein lies the problem. You’re not the most objectionable officer Sisko could have placed me with. I simply resent that he didn’t ask me first.”</p><p>Julian blinked. And blinked again.</p><p>Bloody infuriating.</p><p>“Couldn’t you have just said that, instead of torturing me?” he demanded.</p><p>The worst part wasn’t even how obnoxious Garak could be. The worst part was the warmth thrumming through Julian when he felt Garak’s weight at the end of the bed.</p><p>“You weren’t particularly inclined to listen, if I recall,” Garak reminded Julian.</p><p>That was at least partly true. He had been a little more concerned with his own hurt pride. Still, there were several intermediary steps that Garak could have taken.</p><p>“Well, I’ve certainly learned my lesson. I swear I’ll never try to help you again.”</p><p>“If only you meant that, Doctor.”</p><p>A typical Garak response. They could let the moment rest here, go back to their normal pattern of sniping at each other affectionately.</p><p>Julian could sense exactly how many centimeters away Garak was sitting. What would it take to close that distance?</p><p>“Garak, I don’t… I’m not sorry I reported Sykes. He assumed certain responsibilities when he put on that uniform, and his commanding officer needs to know if he can’t handle them. But I am sorry for, er, trying to rearrange your life without talking to you. That was wrong. I just… I hope you know that you don’t always have to do it all on your own. You can ask for help.”</p><p>There, he had said it, with a minimum of stumbling. There was more he could say, of course, like <em>I care about you </em>and <em>what’s the point of having a friend if you won’t let them in </em>and <em>we could even be more than friends, if you’d like</em>. But his little speech was probably already more sincere than Garak was prepared to handle.</p><p>“I’ll… consider it.”</p><p>Julian grinned.</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>He shifted on to his back and folded his arms under his head, drinking in the closeness, however temporary.</p><p>A pleasant shiver ran up his leg when Garak’s hand brushed his ankle. Garak smirked, as if he could tell.</p><p>“To be perfectly frank, at first I thought you had me moved to your quarters because you wanted me to ravish you.”</p><p>“What?” A niggling voice in the back of Julian’s head cried out. <em>That was an option?</em></p><p>Garak’s hand began a slow creep up to Julian’s knee, leaving a tingling trail of gooseflesh in its wake.</p><p>“It was only after that I realized you were acting out of a misguided desire to protect me,” he murmured.</p><p>Julian swallowed hard. He had badly misjudged, again.</p><p>“Hypothetically, if I <em>had</em> wanted to have sex with you, would you have done it?”</p><p>The hand was moving higher. Julian fought to keep his eyes trained on Garak’s face.</p><p>“Naturally. It’s my duty as a member of the crew to keep our Chief Medical Officer in high spirits, after all.”</p><p>“Naturally.” <em>Play it cool, </em>he instructed himself. At least half of the appeal of their relationship was the back-and-forth; it wouldn’t do to leave Garak in complete control. “Well, <em>darling Elim</em>, it’s too bad that computers don’t fuck.”</p><p>With a wicked smile, he wrapped his hand around Garak’s wrist, stopping the upward climb.</p><p>Garak’s eyes gleamed.</p><p>“Vulcans do.”</p><p>“Once every seven years.”</p><p>Garak’s thumb rubbed a steady circle in Julian’s lower thigh.</p><p>“I’ve known you for almost six, Doctor, I think I can handle one more. Patience has its virtues.”</p><p>“Of course, if I <em>weren’t</em> a Vulcan,” Julian hinted, with a new, ragged edge to his voice.</p><p>“Very well.” Garak lowered his voice to a purr. “You are, unfortunately, deeply, and irrevocably <em>human</em>, and I am sorry for it every time I look into your ravishing eyes.”</p><p>That word again. Julian let go of Garak’s wrist.</p><p>“Is that your idea of flirting?” he teased.</p><p>“Is it working?”</p><p>Garak’s fingertips had reached his upper thigh. Julian leaned back and relaxed onto his pillow, luxuriating.</p><p>“I’m not sure yet. Why don’t you tell me more about my eyes?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!</p><p>On an entirely different note, I'm still working on the "Game is Afoot" series. Do you have thoughts on what Julian or Garak should ask in a truth or dare game? I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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